Not A Spare Date
by Haphaphap
Summary: Collection of one-shots based on not-Harry's povs. First story: Ginny Weasley does not allow anyone to make her a Plan B. Not even Harry Potter.
1. Not A Spare Date

AN: Ginny's POV when Ron literally offered his sister to be Harry's date.

Disclaimer: Some passages are taken directly from HP GoF and nothing about Harry Potter is mine.

Not a Spare Date

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Ginny sat next to her brother in the common room. One hand laid on his back as she spoke to him kindly in her most soothing voice.

She didn't want to be rude. Or uncaring. But she couldn't help to think the whole situation was hillarious. Poor innocent Ron. He was helpless against veela's charm.

Suddenly from the corner of her eyes Ginny saw Harry. He entered the commonroom and walked towards them.

Her traitorous heart began to thump faster. Luckily this time she didn't blush.

 _Yet_.

"What's up, Ron?" Harry asked.

"Why did I do it?" Ron wailed. "I don't know what made me do it!"

Harry looked confused. "What?"

"He — er — just asked Fleur Delacour to go to the ball with him," said Ginny. She was fighting back a smile, but she forced herself to keep patting Ron's arm sympathetically.

"You what?" said Harry.

"I don't know what made me do it!" Ron gasped again. "What was I playing at? There were people — all around — I've gone mad — everyone watching! I was just walking past her in the en- trance hall — she was standing there talking to Diggory — and it sort of came over me — and I asked her!"

Ron moaned and put his face in his hands. He kept talking, though the words were barely distinguishable.

"She looked at me like I was a sea slug or something. Didn't even answer. And then — I dunno — I just sort of came to my senses and ran for it."

"She's part veela," said Harry. "You were right — her grandmother was one. It wasn't your fault, I bet you just walked past when she was turning on the old charm for Diggory and got a blast of it — but she was wasting her time. He's going with Cho Chang."

Ginny immediately looked up.

"I asked her to go with me just now," said Harry dully, "and she told me."

Ginny felt her stomach dropped.

"We're the only ones left who haven't got anyone — well, except Neville. Hey — guess who he asked? Hermione!" Ron started to babble but Ginny could barely hear a word.

Her mind was replaying what Harry just said: Harry asked Cho.

 _Harry asked Cho._

Why did he ask Cho? Why did he ask another girl _at all?_

"...but she told him she was already going with someone. Ha! As if! She just didn't want to go with Neville . . . I mean, who would?" Ron's voice began to register. She heard he and Harry laughed.

This irked Ginny. Why wouldn't her brother believe Hermione did have another date? Surely it's entirely possible for someone other than Neville to notice Hermione.

"Don't! Don't laugh —" said Ginny.

Just then the bushy haired girl climbed in through the portrait hole.

"Why weren't you two at dinner?" Hermione said, coming over to join them.

"Because-" Ginny's word was cut by Ron and Harry's even louder laughter.

"Oh shut up laughing, you two!" Ginny spat, suddenly felt really annoyed. "Because they've both just been turned down by girls they asked to the ball!"

That effectively silenced them.

"Thanks a bunch, Ginny," said Ron sarcastically.

Ginny glared at him.

Hermione and Ron began to exchange another less than friendly banter. But Ginny's mind wandered back to Harry. _Did he ever even consider to ask Ginny at all?_

She was lost in her own thoughts until Hermione's very angry voice broke through.

"I've already told you! I'm going with someone else!"

Ginny watched Hermione as she stormed off toward the girls' dormitories again. She felt pity toward the older girl.

"She's lying," Ron said flatly.

Ginny looked at her brother increduously. _Really Ron?_

"She's not," said Ginny quietly.

"Who is it then?" said Ron sharply.

"I'm not telling you, it's her business," said Ginny. She's not going to be the one who told Ron that _Viktor Krum_ had asked Hermione. She's not completely suicidal.

"Right," said Ron, who looked extremely put out, "this is getting stupid. Ginny, you can go with Harry, and I'll just —"

"I can't," said Ginny abruptly. She felt her face warmed up. She would not go with Harry as a spare date. But she _couldn't_ just say that... _Okay, made up excuse. Quick!_

"I'm going with —" _with who? Think, Ginny, think!_ "-with Neville. He asked me when Hermione said no, and I thought... well... I'm not going to be able to go otherwise, I'm not in fourth year," she finished lamely.

 _Great_. Now she had to go to Neville and actually asked him to take her to Yule Ball. Of course things like this had to happen to her.

"I think I'll go and have dinner," she said, despite she already had one before she went to commonroom.

She got up and walked off to the portrait hole, her head bowed. She felt Ron and Harry's confused eyes on her but couldn't bring herself to care.

She had another thing to worry about: **_her heart._**


	2. Not a Spare Date (2)

AN: I intended Not a Spare Date as oneshot but, well, it turns into drabbles. English is not my first language *cringed* so apologize in advance for grammar and spelling errors.

ps. thank you darknesse2016 and sindhuja for taking time to read and review. :)

Disclaimer: HP universe is not mine, obviously.

Not a Spare Date (2)

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Ginny peeked into Gryffindor's commonroom. No sight of her brother or Harry. _Good_ , she could climb in now.

She had just asked Neville Longbottom, the only fourth year who hadn't got a date to Yule Ball, just so she didn't have to go with Harry Potter.

Oh the irony.

After years of pining on Harry, turned out he fancied someone else. Not just someone else. He fancied Cho Chang; that pretty, popular girl whom TWO Triwizard Champions had asked to be their respective date. She's also decent Seeker of Ravenclaw Quidditch team.

It should be a sin to be that perfect.

It's not like Ginny had hoped Harry would ask her and expected Ron to ask Hermione... Alright, who was she kidding, _she had_.

It would be perfect. They could laugh all night long and dance long after the song ends... It would feel like they're back at the Burrow; but without her mum nagging them and better, much more romantic circumstances.

But Harry had asked Cho and Ron had asked the-quarter-veela Fleur Delacour. Neither of them noticed Ginny nor Hermione until they realised they're the only ones who still hadn't got dates and their options were now limited.

Ginny climbed into the girls' dormitory and headed straight to Hermione's dorm. Before she even opened the door, she heard squeals and giggles from inside.

"What's going on?" Ginny asked Hermione as she sat on the bushy haired girl's bed, nudging at Parvati and Lavender who were sitting cross-legged on the farthest bed, chatting excitedly.

"It turns out Harry and Ron finally get their dates," said Hermione boredly.

Ginny gulped. "Yeah? Who?"

"Apparently Harry will go with Parvati and Ron will go with Padma."

"No boys asked them yet?" asked Ginny. Parvati and Padma were quite pretty. Ginny would've thought they already received offers from other boys.

Hermione shrugged. "I don't know. I don't keep up with their dating lives."

"No matter, I have just asked Neville to take me to Yule Ball," said Ginny.

Hermione looked appalled. "You asked him? Why? You don't have to go to that ball."

"Harry asked me-- no, Ron asked me to be Harry's date. I don't want to go with him. He asked Cho. He only considered me after she declined and most girls are taken and Ron practically shoved me to him," Ginny said miserably. "So I told him I can't because someone already asked me. And the only boy I knew still hadn't gotten a date was Neville so..."

"Oh Ginny!" Hermione exclaimed simpathetically, her shoulder tensed then dropped.

Hermione put her arms around Ginny. "Harry can be as dense as Trelawney's crystal ball sometimes. But it's good you'll come to the dance. You need to interact with more people, you know... I mean, it's been more than a year since..."

Hermione didn't finish her sentence but Ginny knew what she wanted to say. It had been more than a year since the Chamber of Secret; she was possessed by You-Know-Who's diary.

She made some progress alright. Last year she couldn't even bring herself to get acquitanced with her fellow second years. She was too dreaded by her past actions and she feared something bad would happen if she let anyone to get close to her. It had been a very lonely year; it would've been _worse_ without the twins.

She was grateful her parents invited Ron's bestfriend, Hermione, to Quidditch World Cup last summer. She's always nice, that Hermione. She comforted Ginny after dementors attacked Hogwarts Express in her second year. The dementors brought back terrifying memories of Tom Riddle and basilisk and how she almost _killed_ \-- Ginny shuddered at the thought.

 _And to think she had trusted and loved Tom as a friend..._

"Ginny?" She heard Hermione's voice. "Are you alright? I'm sorry..., I shouldn't have--"

"I'm alright Hermione. You're right. I should start to... start over."

Hermione smiled warmly. She now had both hands on Ginny's.

"Now who cares if morons like Harry or Ron cannot see what's right in front of them? _You will get on with your life._ Maybe you'll even meet someone in the ball..." Hermione said cheekily.

Ginny rolled her eyes. "This is stupid. I don't even have dress robes. Mum and Dad would have to buy me ones, and for what?"

"You could use my dress robes," said Hermione.

"What? Then what would you wear?"

"I'll buy something else for me the next time I go to Hogsmeade."

"No, Hermione. I'll just write to Mum. I'm sure she had other dress robes I could use," Ginny said firmly. The Weasleys were poor, yes, but they didn't take charity.

"Oh don't be riddiculous, Ginny," Hermione waved her hand impatiently. "I'm going to buy new dress robes either way. I'm determined to clean up really nicely this time. Ronald won't even recognise me when I'm done."

Ginny was amused and even more so when Hermione's face reddened.

 _So Ron's opinion did matter for Hermione._ Poor girl. But then she reminded herself that her situation might be worse.

Hermione walked toward her trunk and pulled out a nice, but rather childish, turquois dress robes with pink frills. Ginny fought back a cringe. The color would clash badly with her hair.

No matter. It wasn't like she had a date to impress.

Ginny sent a grateful smile to Hermione as she took the dress robes. "Ron doesn't know what he's missing," she said genuinely.

Hermione blushed.

"I better go back to my dorm. This evening has been... weird." Ginny casted one last look to Parvati and Lavender, who were still chatting and giggling.

Parvati must've seen Ginny's gaze on her because then she looked at Ginny. Parvati sent her what almost looked like apologetic smile.

Ginny smiled back awkwardly and hurriedly went out the fourth years' dorm.

 _Weird indeed._


	3. At Last

AN: Enough with Yule Ball for now. Here's Ron's pov set before and after last Quidditch match in his sixth year.

Disclaimer: HP universe is still not mine.

At Last

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Ron Weasley sat nervously on a bench near the corner of the changing room. He didn't want to remind himself of the mess he caused in last match against Hufflepuff or to think about the final match against Ravenclaw, which would start in exactly thirteen minutes.

Almost the entire Gryffindor Quidditch Team were gathered around his little sister, Ginny. She said something to the team; some bloody words of encouragement. Ginny was taking his best friend's position today, both as Seeker and Captain.

Ron could not believe Harry had missed another match. "The youngest Seeker in a century" had only participated in exactly ONE out of four Gryffindor's determining matches. Apparently he's too busy either getting banned or detentions.

Finally Ginny had done her pep talk. _Thank Merlin._ But now she and Dean Thomas were talking quietly at the other corner of the room.

Ron scowled.

Another reason to despise Harry's absence from the match. Harry had to make Ginny the replacement Seeker thus they needed another Chaser. The bloody git then chose _him_ : their dorm mate, Ginny's ex-boyfriend, Dean Thomas.

It's as if Harry was trying to put Ginny and Dean together on purpose.

Ron was once very sure Harry liked his sister; the boy-who-lived gave Ginny his Lockhart books and actually kept that horrendous, loud, _singing_ get-well-soon card she made him in their third year... not to mention the legendary episode of 'Harry Potter saved Ginevra Weasley from a basilisk'.

Alright so maybe Ron wanted them together for his personal selfish reasons. One, he, Hermione and Harry were knit-close; it would be uncomfortable if Harry brought in some _strange_ _r._ Two, Ron would _always_ dislike Ginny's boyfriend.

Harry and Ginny together would fix both Ron's problem: no stranger would meddle and Ginny would have boyfriend Ron actually _liked._

Ron swore he had been trying to set them up for _ages_. When Harry needed a date for Yule Ball; Ron told him to go with her sister but Ginny said she already agreed to go with Neville. Which was absurd; Ginny fancied Harry, why did she agree to accept Neville's offer in first place?

Anyway, Hermione then said something about him being as subtle as a bludger and that he should ' _probe_ not push'.

The situation only got weirder when Harry dated Cho Chang and Ginny dated Michael Corner. Cho, who cried when Harry kissed her. Michael, who's unwilling to even _jinx_ Ginny in DA practice.

Then Harry and Cho broke up. This time, Ron took Hermione's advise to be subtle and told Harry to find someone more 'cheerful'.

Conveniently, Ginny and Michael also broke up and the two exes -- Ginny's and Harry's -- dated each other. The timing couldn't be more perfect. Ron then told Ginny to find someone 'better'.

 _Probe,_ Ron told himself, _not push_.

But of course, her sister then said she already dated other bloke: the friggen Dean Thomas.

 _Sweet Merlin's silvery beard!_ Ron wanted to bang his head onto the chess board.

To Ron's delight though, Ginny and Dean then broke up. In fact, they had broken up for _weeks_ now.

So why hadn't Harry asked her yet? Ron's sister wasn't completely hideous. She and Harry also got along rather nicely, especially after fifth year.

Still standing closely to each other at the corner of the room, Dean's hand brushed Ginny's arm.

Ron gave a disgusted look. Dean was probably planning on getting back together with Ginny.

Ron's intention was then resolved. _If_ they won the Quidditch Cup, he would confront Harry and tell him to ask Ginny out.

Subtle be damned.

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*

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They won.

They bloody won the Quidditch cup!

Ron was awesome. The beaters were awesome. The chasers were awesome and even Dean was okay. Ginny caught the snitch just after they were ahead by 150 points, making them won by 300 points.

The Quidditch cup wasn't going anywhere this year; it's sitting there on Minerva McGonagal's desk for another year.

Ron was feeling almighty high; someone must've smuggled in firewhiskey in butterbeer bottles. If Hermione wasn't standing so far away he might end up kissing her like Lavender did him months ago. Which was _not_ a good idea considering she probaly would pull out the 'angry birds' on him again.

The crowds were singing 'Weasley is Our King'. Ron was so busy with his drunkeness he barely noticed flash of red hair as Ginny ran passed him.

The next thing he saw was her sister and his best friend, _lip-locking_ in front of more than fifty gawking Gryffindors. Ron vaguely heard sound of breaking glass.

 _Merlin's pointy cone hat!_

This wasn't what Ron had in mind when he said to himself he wanted Harry and Ginny to be _together_. Couldn't they wait until they reach some place more _private_?

After the one of the longest awkward moments in Ron's life, Harry and Ginny finally broke apart and Harry's eyes met his.

Ron realized he still had his mouth hanging open. He wished they didn't have to burn his eyes by snogging each other senseless but... at least they _finally_ came to their senses now.

So Ron just shrugged and sent Harry the 'look'. _Well, if_ _you must_.

Ron took another big gulp of firewhiskey-in-butterbeer-bottle as he watched his little sister and his best friend walked hand-in-hand toward the portrait hole and disappeared from his sight.


End file.
